April 15
“This is He who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth,” 1 John 5:6.
Have you ever wondered why the soldiers broke the legs of the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus at Calvary? This was done so that they would die sooner! When the soldiers came to Jesus, He was already dead, so they did not break His legs. The evangelist John reports in his Gospel, “These things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken,’” John 19:36.
A stipulation by God for the Old Testament Passover lamb was, “(You shall not) break one of its bones,” Exodus 12:46. Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God to whom John the Baptist pointed and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29. Not one of His bones was broken!
Have you ever wondered why there was such a hurry to get the bodies of the two criminals and the body of Jesus down from the cross? In the Book of Deuteronomy, we have the Law of God given through Moses. God said, “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree (meaning, crucify him), his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God,” Deuteronomy 21:22-23. In his Gospel, John refers to the Old Testament law: “Because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away,” John 19:31.
Earlier, John stated, “One of the soldiers pierced (Jesus’) side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out,” John 19:34. A few verses later, John wrote, “Again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced,’” John 19:37. This was a fulfillment of the words of the prophet Zechariah, “They will look on Me whom they pierced,” Zechariah 12:10.
Some people might feel that much of this is history. Indeed! Remember that Jesus came to fulfill the historical promises of God. In the verse above on which our devotion is based, the evangelist John tells us that the foundation on which our faith rests is witnessed by God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit calls us to repentance and faith through the Word of God. We need to keep in close touch with the Word, both the Law and the Gospel.
Jesus has redeemed us to God by water and blood. This reminds us of two major events in the life of the Lord Jesus: His baptism, by which He entered His public ministry, and His crucifixion, by which He redeemed us with His holy, precious blood. The text also reminds us of our own Baptism through which we received the forgiveness of sins, as the Bible says: “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins,” Acts 22:16. It also directs us to Calvary’s cross, where we receive the assurance, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:7.
We pray that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will touch our hearts and keep us in the faith.
O Holy Spirit, enter in, And in our hearts Thy work begin,
Thy temple deign to make us; Sun of the soul, Thou Light Divine,
Around and in us brightly shine, To joy and gladness wake us,
That we, in Thee truly living, To Thee giving prayer unceasing,
May in love be still increasing. Amen.